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MEMBER DIARY

Stop the circular firing squads, please

Disappointment, tensions, accusations, and name-calling all seem to be running unhealthily high around here lately. To all who are frustrated with their candidate’s lack of success, the seeming irrationality of a voting block within our coalition, incredulity with how well a particular candidate does, I can identify with all those sentiments.

But, please, please, please, for the sake of beating Barack Obama and putting the GOP back in the White House, can we all please remember that those at RedState are not the enemy? Dissenting opinions regarding which candidate is best are rapidly pounced on here and squashed, with the foolish soul who ventured the thought electronically tarred and feathered. Its ridiculous. For every troll being shot down, we’re shooting down 10 conservatives here. In nearly every single thread, strikingly disrespectful or insulting comments are being made.

This is remarkably counter-productive. Calling someone an idiot or otherwise insulting them does not persuade them or those who agreed with their point that you are right. They may stop arguing with you, but only because they don’t have to put up with you. You have not persuaded anyone of anything, you have shut them out. This is supposed to be a community of conservative thought. If you would not say something to the other person’s face, you shouldn’t type it. If you would not say it to a friend, then find another way to make your point.

To win this general election, we are going to have one hell of a fight. If candidate X is no good as a nominee but has a sizable group of supporters, maybe we should be focused on how do we bring those folks into the fold when the time comes? The Dems did not make these mistakes in 2008 like we are now. Its got to stop, or we are going to lose.